Fuel-supply system



Feb 12 1924. 1,483,596 J. P. REMINGTON Y FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed May 10, 1920 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR (708623)]? P6113) fiemizzyrazz.

ATTORNEY Feb. 12 1924. 1,483,596

J. P. REMINGTON FUEL SUPPLY SYS TEM Filed May 10 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mummy!!!- WITNESSES: INVENTOR 9. Y I r 7 56615) Patent Feb. 12, we.

J OS EPH PERCY REMINGTON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO E i INGTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLV YORATION PENNSYLVANIA FUEL-SUPPLY SYSTEM.

Application filed may 10, 1920. Serial No. 380,121.

To all whom it may conce'rn:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH PERCY REM- INGTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Supply Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to fuel supply for internal combustion engines,-such as automobile, motorboat, and airplane engines, and it is my aim to improve the operation and. efiiciency of fuel supply systems, so as to insure proper supply of. fuel to the carburetor or other fuel feed device under all conditions. I also aim to secure completely automatic action; to make the apparatus employed simple and compact in construction, durable and free from derangement in use, and inexpensive to manufacture; and to enable the essential operating parts tobe so located and arranged that they shall be visible and accessible. I have hereinafter explained my invention, and described the best embodiments thereof at present known to me, with special reference to its employment on gasoline automobiles,-this being a field of use in which its advantages are most strikingly exemplified.

In the operation of an automobile engine, there are created, in the intake or manifold through which the combustible mixture of air and vapor from the fuel feed device or carburetor passes to the engine cylinder, conditions of reduced pressure or partial vacuum equivalent to a suctlon or a succession of suction impulses. This intake suction is very commonly utilized in conveying the fuel to the carburetor from the source of supply,which is usually a tank situated at a lower leveL-by means of a chamber drawing from the latter for delivery to the former, and connected to the engine intake so as to bring the liquid fuel under the suction influence. This suction connection of the chamber is periodically cut ed and the chamber opened to the at mosphere, thus pemnitting fuel from the chamber to flow to the carburetor by gravity. The valves by which the periodic filling and draining of the chamber is thus accomplished are controlled and operated by a float in said chamber.

While highly advantageous in many respects, the vacuum system of fuel supply just described labors under serious disadvantages, and is subject to grave drawbacks. The vacuum or suction in the intake of an automobile engine varies, under difierent operating conditions, from about two inches of mercury or less to about twenty inches or more. Unfortunately, the condition of minimum suction is that of maximum demand for power and fuel (with heavy load and wide open throttle), and vice versa; or, in other words, the force relied on for drawing fuel into the chamber is weakest when it should be stron est, and strongest when it should be wea est. As a result, the chamber fills most siowly'when it should be filling most rapidly,and most rapidly when it might just as well be filling siowiy. The full bearing of this will be better appreciated after another disadvantage of the prior art vacuum systems has been pointed out.

When the intake suction is a maximum,

the atmospheric valve must be forced open, for the draining of the chamber, against pressure equivalent to this full maximum; and, concurrently with its opening, the valve controlling the suction connection of the chamber must be closed. To minimize thepower required to operate these valves, a somewhat complicated toggle mechanism,-

liable to breakage and derangemeut,-is

suction intensities and wide range of suction variation in the chambcr,--high suc tions entailing a chamber so large that weak auctions cannot till it rapidly enough to meet the concurrent heavy fuel demand of the engine.

In practice, the only palliative for such intermittent, slow-cycle action of the float chamber has been to supplement it with a large receiving reservoir that stored up. and delivered to the carburetor as needed. sutficient fuel to carry the engine over unduly prolonged filling periods of the float chamber itself. Not only, however, is this remedy a partial and unsatisfactor one. but it results in greatly increasing. t to smof apparatus already much too large.

My invention utilizes the vacuum or suttion principle to supply fuel in such wise as to enable all these and other disadvantages to be overcome. Not only can the fuel be thus supplied uninterruptedly, in amounts proportioned to the operating requirements o the engine under widely varying conditions,--des ite extreme fluctuations of the intake suct1on,but the principal operating parts of the apparatus can be made so light and small that they can be mounted directly on the automobile dash board, where their operation will alwa 's be in full view. How these and other advantages can best be secured will appear from m description and explanation hereinafter of the best modes of carrying out the invention at present known to me, while its full scope and essentials will be indicated in my claims. The description of specific forms of apparatus and their operation will be rendered more intelligible, however, by a brief preliminary statement of the general princi les and methods embodied therein.

In t e vacuum systems of the prior art above referred to, the intake suction acts on the liquid fuel in substantially its full intensity, and the liquid is subjected to the above described wide variations of suction inversely according to the operating requirements of the engine,--that is, to minimum suction at the times of maximum fuel demand. According to my invention, however, I ordinarily bring the intake suction (or suction impulses) to bear on the liquid only partially, and with the minimum abs lute intensity of influence suflicient for al ways securing adequate fuel supply, appropriately regulating or controlling the proportionate intensit of its influence: Thus, I may control an varythis proportionate intensity inversely accordin to the intensity of the Intake suction itsel Preferably, I maintain the effective suction influence sub stantially the same des ite variation in the intake suction,virtually eliminating suction fluctuation as a factor aflecting the supply of fuel. Such measures of control over a ,aeaaeo the intensity of the suction influence on the liquid make it. possible to regulate the supply of fuel according to the actual operating requirements of the engine, by corresponding variation and control of the other factor aflecting the supply: i. e, of the pcriods of suction influence. These factors may be controlled automatically: the intern sity of the suction influence, preferably, by means responsive to the suction influence it self; and the periods of suction influence, by means responsive to the demand of the enpine for fuel. Limitation of the suction influence to low intensities does away with all necessity for employing a large float or com plicated toggle mechanism to operate valves,-thus permitting employment of a small chamber, with very rapid cycles of pumping action. in utilizing the intake suction influence.

In the drawings. Fig. I is a diagrammatic general'view, in elevation, of an automobile engine with a fuel supply system embody ing my invention.

Fig. 11 shows a mid-section through the pump chamber and associated parts shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III is an upward view with parts below the plane of section III-1H in Fig. II broken away and removed.

Figs. IV and V are enlarged fragmentary sectional views showing modified valve devices.

Fig. V1 is a view similar to Fig. I showing a modified arrangement of the piping and pump chamber.

Fig. VII is a view similar to rig. H showing a modified construction of the pump chamber corresponding to Fig. VI.

Fi VIII is a somewhat diagrammatic and ragmentary general view, in elevation, showing an attachment specially adapted to meet exceptionally unfavorable operating conditions.

In F i I of the drawings is shown a mul- -ti--cylin er automobile engine 1 having as its fuel feed device a carburetor 2 whence the combustible mixture of air and gasoline vapor passes to the engine cylinders through the intake manifold 33. The source of fuel supply shown is a gasoline tank 4, conveniently located at a lower level than the carburetor 2. The pump chamber 5, at a higher level than the carburetor 2, draws the liquid gasoline from the tank 4 through piping 6 and delivers it to the carburetor 2 through piping 7 g and the liquid is brought under the influence of the intake suction of the engine by means comprising piping 8 tapped into the neck 9 of the intake manifo d 3 and connected to the upper end or head 10 of said chamber 5. The liquid supply and delivery connections of the pump chamber 5 are provided with ball check valves 11 and 12 (see Fig. ll), here shown as seated in a T fitting 13 whose lateral mouth between said valves is connected, by the combined suction and delivery piping 14, to the passage 15 in the lower end or head 16 of the pump chamber 5, and whose ends 17 and 18 are connected to the supply and delivery pipes 6 and 7 respectively. Strainers or filters 19 in the passage 15 and in the suction end 17 of the fitting 13keep any dirt or the like in the fuel from reaching the operating parts. v

The flow of fuel from the pump chamber 5 to the carburetor 2 is.controlled by means responsive to the demand of the engine for fuel, the means here shown comprising a float 20 movable up and down on a guide rod 21 with the rise and fall of fluid in said chamber. A stop collar 22 adjustably threaded or otherwise secured on the rod '21 limits downwardmovement of the float 20. A sleeve 23 attached to the float 20 carries a head or cross-piece 24 with an upstanding pin 25 which from time to time lifts the ball valve 26 from its seat in the upper chamberhead 10, thus opening wide the port 27 to admit air and permit gravitational outflow of fuel to the carburetor 2 and the engine 1. A suitable perforated cover 28, detachably secured in the head 10 above the valve seat by a ring-clamp, limits upward movement of the valve 25 without interfering with free passage of air. Since the ball valve 26 must obviously be lifted against a greater pressure difference than it closes under, it will always remain open a length of time sufficient for the outflow of an amount of liquid corresponding to the difference inliquid level necessary to enable the float to overcome this excess of pressure at opening,so that the action is naturally a periodic one.

Still referring to Fig. II, it will be seen that the piping 8 for connecting the engine intake 3 to the pump chamber 5 opens into a passage or cavity 29 in the head 10 which communicates directly with the interior of the chamber 5 through a, constantly open port 30. 'The port 30 is so restricted in effective area (as by constriction at 31) that the limited communication between the engine intake 3 and the pump chamber 5 afforded through it is insuflicient, in the ordinary, ndrmal operation of the system, to reduce the pressure or vacuum in said chamber 5 to the level of the intake suction. In other words, the vacuum or suction impulses from the engine cylinders are checked or throttlcd. This action, it will be understood, is insured by making the fuel supply connections '6, 13, 14, 15 so ample, in relation to the constricted opening 31 and the effective head to be pumped against, etc., that the vacuum in the chamber 5 due to suction through the port 30 is always currently satisfied by liquid fuel at a value less than the actual intake vacuum. As a result, the pump chamber 5, fills with liquid before the retarded flow of air through the port 30 can equalize the vacuum in said chamber with the intake vacuum.

In operation, therefore, the intake suction influence in the pump chamber 5 draws liquid from the supply tank 4 up into said chamber until the liquid accumulates therein to such a level that the buoyancy of the float 20 is sufiicient to lift the air valve 26 from its seat against the difference between the atmospheric pressure without and the partial vacuum within. The effective area of the air port 27 is so proportioned to that of the constricted-suction port 31 that the admission of the atmosphere to the pump chamber 5 when said port 27 is opened breaks or impairs the vacuum and raises the pressure therein sufficiently to interrupt the suction influence on the liquidand to permit outflow of liquid to the carburetor 2. This draining of the pump chamber 5 continues until the float 20 falls sufficiently to permit the valve 26 to seat again and shut off communication of the chamber with the atmosphere; thereupon the suction influence on the liquid is re-established, and the accumulation of liquid inthe pump chamber 5 recommences.

In controlling the periods of intake suetion influence on the liquid, the float 20 responds both to the accumulation of liquid in the pump chamber 5 under said influence andto the flow of liquid to the carburetor 2 according to the demand of the engine for fuel. As a whole, the pumping operation or cycle in the chamber 5 presents two main phases; a filling phase or period, whose du-- ration and termination are controlled by the intensity of the suction influence during this period, and a liquid outflow or draining phase whose duration and determination are controlled by the fuel demand of the engine. It follows, therefore, that if fluctuations of the intensity of the suction influence are ignored or eliminated, the frequency of recurrence of the periods of such influence and the frequency and duration of complete pumping cycles will vary .in due correspondence with variation in the fuel demand of the engine.

Preferably, the effective area of the port 27 is so proportioned and limited with reference to that of the port 30 that while the communication of the pump chamber 5 with the atmosphere which it affords is suflicient to raise the chamber pressure and permit draining as above described, it is ordinarily insufficient or ineffective to allow the presden rush such as might otherwise follow the opening of the valve 26.

By proper correlation of the effective area of the constantly open suction port 30 with other factors, the maximum intensity of the intake suction influence on the liquid can be reduced, in comparison with the maximum intensity of the intake suction itself, to any extent practically desirable, and the range of variation of such influence can likewise be greatly reduced, and better'condrtions of fuel supply thanhitherto possible can thus be attaine It will-readily be seen,

however, that with the apparatuses thus far described, it is not possible to control and vary the proportionate intensity of the intake suction influence on the liquid in inverse proportion to the intensity of the intake suction itself; nor is it possible, in many or most cases, even to maintain the intensity of such suction influence substantially the same despite variations in the intake suction itself. On the contrary, it will often or usually be found that when the maxirriuni in- .port 30,and vice-versa,according to the intensity of the intake suction; For this purpose, I prefer to employ one or more suctioncontrolling ball valves 35, 36, such as shown in Figs. II and III; These valves, it will be seen, are loosely mounted in recesses in the upper pump-chamber-head 10, and have superjacent seats 39 at the lower ends of ports 40, 41 leading from their recesses to the above described cavity 29 in said head 10. l/Vhen the engine intake suction as it obtains in the cavity 29 is weak, the valve balls all he at the bottoms of their recesses, slightly protruding from the lower side of the head 10, and the supplemental suction ports 40, 41, are freely openthrough notches between the inbent ball-retaining portions 44 of the head (see Fig. III). Thus the minimum communication of the pump chamher 5 with the engine intake 3 (via the primary suction port 30)is augmented sufiiciontly to allow the intensity of the suction influence in the pump chamber to become relatively larger in proportion to the intensity of the intake suction itself. As the intake suction increases in intensity, the balls 35, 86 are successively lifted to their seats 39,

thus closingthe corresponding supplemental suction ports 40, 41 and reducing the communicatlon between the engine intake 3 and the pump chamber 5 and the proportionate intensity of the suction influence on the liquid; when the intake suction decreases, the reverse action takes place. In thus contro1- ling the proportionate intensity of the suction influence on the liquid, the supplemental valves 35, 36 respond, it will be seen, to the intensity of the intake suction itself and to the ressure or suctionoinflue'n'ce in the pump 0 iamber 5, difierentially. They may open and close, of course, not merely with changin average value of the intake suction due to c ange s in the running conditions of the engine, but with the fluctuations of intake suction intensity occurring at each suction impulse from the engine cylinders. The desired successive action of the ball valves may be obtained, as shown, by making them of uniform size and appropriately grading the effective areas of their ports.

With such successively acting valves properly designed, the intensity of the intake suction influence in the pump chamber 5 can be kept within such narrow limits of variation as to be ractically the same at all times, despite wi e fluctuations of the intake suction itself. The range which I ordinarily prefer not to exceed is from a minimum suction influence of two inches of mercury to a maximum of four inches; for this, with a pump chamber 1 1/8 inches in diameter inside and 3 inches long inside, the supplemental suction ports 40, 41 may have diameters of 1/32" and 1/64", and the balls 35, 36 may be brass balls .of 3/16 diameter, the diameter of the constricted throat 31 of the primary suction port 30 being 0.002 inch. These dimensions are suitable for an apparatus used on a Buick Six, for example.

When the vacuum in the pump chamber 5 is broken or impaired by the atmospheric fluid admitted by valve 26, the valves 35, 36 will naturally be sucked up (if open at the time) to close the supplemental suction ports 40, 41, thus reducing the escape of air into the intake connection 8 and promoting the desired rise of pressure in the pump chamber. When the float 20 rises and opens the air valve 26, its head 24 will strike and lift slightly any of the valves 35, 36 that are at the bottom of their recesses, so as to prevent permanent sticking fast of said valves from any cause. In its uppermost position, the head 24 abuts against the chamber head 10 overthe ports 40, 41,- thus definitely closing them.

Still referring to Figs. II and III, it will be seen that the pump chamber 5 shown comprises a tube 45 (which may be either of metal orof lass or other transparent material) that ts over shoulders on the metal eases heads 10 and 16, the joints being made fluid tight by suitable gaskets d7, 47. 'The heads 10 and 16 are secured together and clamped against the ends of the tube d5 by being threaded on the ends of the metal guide rod 21. The effective area of the port 30 may be readily and accurately adjusted by boring it somewhat large, as shown, and constricting it by means of a ring punch so applied as to crowd the metal inward, as shown at 31, upon a suitable mandrel. Whatever the mode of construction, however, it is best to make the port 30 smallest at its lower end, so as to render it self-cleaning and selfclearing as far as possible. The desired buoyancy of the float 20 may be secured within very limited dimensions by making it of a solid piece of very light material.sucli as balsa Wood or cork suitably liquidproofed to prevent it from becoming logged. In other words, the float 20 may be so small as to be quite incapable of opening the air admission valve 26 against pressure difl erences anything like equivalent to the higher intake suction intensities. With such a construction, the external dimensions of the pump chamber 5 need not ordinarily exceed diameter and 1-" length. This extremely small size is, of course, made possible by the act that the maximum vacuum in the chamber can be kept so very light, so that the greatest pressure dilterence against which the valve 26 must be opened shall be correspondingly small.

Referring now. once more to Fig. 1', it will be observed that the pump chamber 5 is 10- ca'ted at the apex of the system. so to speak, and that the liquid in the supply and delivery sides of the system preserves its continuity without any intervening body of air.

This gives rise to a siphon-like balance of 7 the liquid in the delivery pipe 7 against that in the upper part of the suction pipe 6, so that the work imposed on the pump chamber 5 is only that involved in overcoming friction and raising the liquid from the tank 4 to the carburetor 2. There is also a rain action (due to the momentum of the fluid in the pipe 7 when once in motion) tending to draw fluid from the pipe 6, past the pump chamber connection 14, directly into the pipe 7. Hence the pump chamber 5 may be located at almost any desired height above the carburetor 2 and the suction and delivery line 6, 7 without augmenting its load materially.

ed and attains a speed of some 10 or 12 miles per hour, the intake vacuum or suction decreases to about 15 inches, and the most readily responsive supplemental suction valve 35 drops and opens its port 40 whenever the float 20 is down,the other supplemental valve remaining closed. As the speed further increases, the other supplemental valve acts in thesame Way,- -the rapidity of operation of course increasing.

By slight changes of construction or adjustment, considerable variations of operation can he brought about. If, for example, the primary suction port 30 is made so small as to offer extreme resistance and throttling to the more intense suction impulses, then with very intense intake suction (as when the engine is idling) the suction influence in the pump chamber 5 will be of low intensity when the float 20 rises, so that the float will readily and quickly unseat the air valve 26 against the slight pressure difference at tecting it, and the draining of the pump chamber will occur after relatively slight accumulation of fuel. If, in addition, the supplemental suction valves 85, 36 are made readily responsive, then with light intake suction (as with open throttle and heavy load), the suction influence in the pump chamber may be of greater intensity than witha more intense intake suction; and while the float 20 will readily rise and impinge against the air valve 26, it will not have suflicient buoyancy to open this valve against the greater pressure difference affecting it until a maximum accumulation of fuel has occurred. The-result will he, therefore, an enhancedsupply of fuel when the demand of the engine is greatest,--enhanced, that is, even in comparison with what would be obtained with strictly unvarying Vacuum influence in the pump chamber 5.

In Fig. IV is shown a modified construction wherein the successive or differential action of the suction valves 55, 56, 57 is secured by making them of different sizes and weights, their ports being of exactly the same size. In Fig. V, the differentially acting gravity actuated ball valves are replaced by a single spring-actuated conical needle valve 60, which coacts with a shouldered seat 61 in the suction connectionpassa e 62. The spring 63 acts between the shoul or 61 and an abutment shoulder 64 on the valye' body 60, and the valve 60 is guided and kept in alignment by a reduced extension 65 which slides in the bore of an adjustable stop plug 66 behind the valve. Increasing intake suction gradually draws the valve closer and closer to its seat 61, which reduces the supplemental suction communication much as does successive closing of the ball valves in Fig. II. As shown, the device of Fig. V has a constantly open restricted suction port, as well as the device of Fig. IV.

Though the spring device of Fig. V may give a more even, gradual action, and may admit, theoretically, of nicer adjustment, I yet prefer, in practice. the differential gravity valve type of device exemplified in Fig. II, because of the difliculty of securing springs of absolutely uniform properties in large lots.

In Fig. VI is shown a modified arrangement of intake andsuction connections intended to prevent the delivery from becoming airbound, as by bubbles gradually working into the delivery pipe 7 of Fig. I from the carburetor 2. The modification consists, briefly, in eliminating the delivery pipe 7 by connecting the delivery end 18 of the valve T 13 directly to a nipple on the carburetor inlet, and making supply pipe 70 and combined supply and delivery pipe 74 correspondingly longer. As will be seen from Fig. VII, this permits a simplified con struction of the pump chamber 75. As shown, the passage 7 6 in the lower chamber head 77 is bent so as to open through a nipple at one side of the head for connection to the pipe 74, and the float guide rod 78 is extended clear through said head 7 7, the latter being secured and clamped by a nut 79 on the lower end of said rod. As here shown, also, the float 80 is made somewhat longer and more powerful than the fioat 20 of Fig. I. The pin 81 for actuating the air inlet valve 82 is mounted in a lever 83 with its fulcrum in a lug 84 on the casing head 85. A stop screw 86 extending through a hole in the free end of the lever 83 limits its downward movement. \Vhen raised by the float 80, this lever 83 lifts the single supplemental valve 87 shown from the bottom of its cavity in the head 85. The general operation is as already described in connec tion with Figs. I to III.

In case it is desired, as a precautionary measure, for the system to be able to operate with intake vacuum so abnormally low as inch of mercury and extremely slow rates of revolution of the engine, the difiiculties of delivering an adequate supply of fuel with vacuum impulses of such low maximum or peak value, infrequent occurrence and consequent short duration. may be obviated or minimized by cutting off con'miunication between the pump chamber and the engine intake except during the interval when the intake suction is at substantially its peak value. so as to conserve the suction influence meaeee in the pump chamber and render the impulse elfective to a substantial extent. In Fig. VIII, I have shown an attachment in which provision is made for meeting such exceptional conditions in this and other ways. As here shown, the suction pipe 88 from the pump chamber 5 of Figs. I to III or of igs. VI and VII is connected to the upper side of the engine intake manifold 93 through a U fitting 9 1- and a nipple 95. In the nipple 95 is a ball valve 96 with a co-operating seat 97 and a threaded retaining stop 98 with grooves 99 along its sides, and grooves 100 across each ehd. Whenever the pressure in theintake 93 is as much as about 1} inch below that in the suction pipe 88, the'valve 96 is sucked up off its seat 97 and the suction passage 101 through the nipple 95 is left freely open, so as to permit the apparatus to function in the ordinary manner, quite unaffected by the valve. Whenever, on the other hand, the pressure difference is less than this, the auxiliary valve 96 drops back to its seat and closes the passage 101 in the nipple 95, thus cutting oil all communication between the engine intake 3 and the pump chamber, so as to conserve the suction influence in the latter.

It will be understood that the piping arrangements shown are diagrammatic, and that the pump chamber may in practice be located immediately adjacent the carburetor 2 and the intake manifold 3 (and hence, naturally, beneath the engine hood), so as to utilize feeble suction impulses to the best advantage. Aside from all difiiculties of operation, such an arrangement (usually with a metal chamber, to obviate breakage) may sometimes be preferred to mounting the device on the dash-board, in order to minimize risk of damage and to put the device where inexperienced operators will not be tempted to meddle with it,and also on certain types of motor trucks. The presence under the hood of a pump chamber so small as my invention makes practicable does not materially affect the fire risk.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a liquid fuelsupply system for an internal combustion engine. the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the flow of li uid to said engine feed device for controlling the periods of such infiuence: and a plurality of differentially responsive ball valves responsive to the in tensity of the said intake suction itself for controlling the period of such influence according to the operat ng requirements of the engine.

nasaeee 2. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine,the combination automatically maintaining the intensity of such influence substantially the same in suc cessive stages of predetermined degrees independent of variation in said intake suction itself.

3. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine. the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump cham her for bringing the liquid under the influence of'the intake suction; of means responsive to the flow of liquid to said engine feed device for controlling the periods of such influence; and a plurality of ball valves of varying sensitivity to gravity influence responsive to the intensity of the intake suction itself for maintaining in successive stages the intensity of its influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in .said intake suction itself.

4. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamher for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the accumulation of liquid in said chamber for impairing the vacuum therein produced by the intake suction and interrupting said suction influence on the liquid to permit outflow thereof to the engine feed device; and means for automatically maintaining the intensity of such influence substantially the same despite variation in said intake suction itself.

5. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a )ump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to' said pump chamber for bringlng the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the accumulation of liquid'in said chamber for impairing the vacuum produced therein by the intake suction and interrupting the influence of said suction on the liquid, to permit outflow of liquid therefrom to theengine feed device; and means responsive to the intensity of the intake suc- .tion itself for automatically maintaining the intensity of its influence on the liquid substantiallythe same despite variation in said intake suction itself.

6. In aliquidfuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device; of means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber always affording minimum, limited communication between them insuflicient, in normal operation, to reduce the pressure or vacuum in the chamber to the level of the intake suction, and comprising means automatically responsive to the intake suction for augmenting said communication as the intensity of the intake suction diminishes, and vice versa, so as to maintain the intensity of the intake suction influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in the intake suction itself; and means responsive to accumulation of liquid in said chamber for admitting fluid to raise the pressure therein and permit outflow of liquid to the engine feed device.

7. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device; of means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber always affording minimum, limited communication between them insufficient, in normal operation, to reduce the pressure or vacuum in the chamber to the level of the intake suction, and comprising means automatically responsive to the intake suction for augmenting said communication as the intensity of the intake suction diminishes, and vice versa, so as to maintain the intensity of the intake suction influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in the intake suction itself; and means responsive to accumulation of liquid in said chamber for establishing and shutting off limited communication between the chamber and the atmosphere suflicient to raise the chamber pressure to permit draining, but normally insufficient to allow the pressure in said chamber to attain the full atmospheric value.

8. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the cnginc teed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the flow of liquid to said engine feed device for controlling the periods of such influence; and means responsive to the intensity of the said intake suction itself and t0 the pressure in the pump chamber for controlling the intensity of such influence.

9. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the flow of liquid to said engine feed device for controlling the periods of uch influence; and means responsive to the intensity of the intake suction itself and to the pressure in the pump chamber for maintaining the intensity of its influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in said intake suction itself.

10. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pumpchamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the accumulation of liquid in said chamber for imp-airing the vacuum produced therein by the intake suction and interrupting the influence of said suction on the liquid, to permit. outflow of liquid therefrom to the engine feed device; and means differentially responsive tothe intensity of the intake suction itself and the pressure in the pump chamber for automatically maintaining the intensity of its influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in said intake suction itself.

11. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber for bringingthe liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the pressure in said chamber for automatically maintaining the intensity of the intake suction influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in said intake suction itself; air admission valve mean to permit draining of said chamber; and a float for opening said valve means responsive to accumulation of liquid in said chamber, and so small as to be incapable of opening the valve against pressure differences equivalent to the higher intake suction intensities.

12. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine. the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chant ber for bringing the liquid under the 111- fiuence of the intake suction; of means rcsponsive to the intensity of said intake suction itself and to the pressure in said chamber for controlling the intensity of such influence; an air admission valve means to permit drainin of said chamber; and a float for opening said valve means responsive to accumulation of liquid in said chamber, and so small as to be incapable of opening the valve against pressure differences equivalent to the higher intake suction intensities.

13. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamher for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means responsive to the flow of liquid to said engine feed device for controlling the periods of such influence and successively acting valves responsive to the intensity of the said intake suction itself and to the pressure in the pump chamber for controlling the intensity of such influence.

14'. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of. fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chamber for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of means rcsponsive to the flow of liquid to said engine feed device for controlling the periods of such influence; and valves differentially responsive to the intensity of the intake suetion itself and the pressure in the pump chamber for maintaining the intensity of its influence on the liquid substantially the same independent of variation in said intake suction itself.

15. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pump chamber drawing from the source of fuel supply and delivering to the engine feed device, and means of connection from the engine intake to said pump chainber for bringing the liquid under the influence of the intake suction; of successively acting valves differentially responsive to the intensity of said intake suction itself and the ressure in said chamber .for controlling the intensity of such influence: an air admission valve means to permit draining of internal combustion engine, the combination of a pump chamber. receiving from the source of fuel supply and deliverin to the engine feed device, means operable y high degree engine intake vacuum to accomplish and maintain a constant transferral of fuel in uniform quantities to and from the pump chamber, and means o erable upon a fall in vacuum intensity be ow a predetermined value to rogressively augment the influence of thefal iing vacuum to maintain invariable the rate of fuel transferral.

17. In a liquid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination of a pump chamber, receiving from the source of fuel supply and deliverin to the engine feed device, means operable yhigh degree engine intake vacuum to accomplish and maintain a constant transferral of fuel in uniform quantities, and means operable upon a drop in vacuum intensity to progressively au ment, by-increments of predetermined va ue the influence of the falling vacuum to maintain saidrate of fuel transferral, invariable.

18. In a liquid fuel supply system'for internal combustion engines, the combination of a pump chamber receiving from a source of fuel supply and delivering to an engine feed device, means operable by high degreeengine intake .vacuum to accomplish and maintain a constant transferral of fuel in uniform quantities in the manner stated, and a series of independent, gravity operated means operableupon a decrease in vacuum intensity to augment the influence of the falling vacuum to maintain invariable rate of fuel transferral in progressive increments of predetermined value.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 7th day of May, 1920.

JOSEPH PERCY REMINGTON. Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

